Using Data to Strengthen Your Teacher Pipeline

Teachers are the most important in-school factor when it comes to student achievement and states are tackling big issues like teacher diversity and teacher retention to make sure every child has access to a great teacher. But to make this vision a reality, state and local leaders need access to the right data to make informed policy and practice decisions. Below you will find a variety of resources to help state policymakers and advocates as they think about the unique needs of their teacher pipeline.

Using data to identify and address teacher shortages.

Despite continued concerns about teacher shortages, many states do not collect teacher supply data from preparation programs and even fewer connect that information with teacher demand data from districts. Without access to this information, educator preparation programs are unable to graduate teachers aligned to district needs and states cannot ensure that all students have a high-quality teacher for every subject.

Here are resources to help state and local leaders better understand the role of data in meeting their state’s educator workforce needs:

Using data to diversify teacher pipelines and ensure equitable access to high quality teachers.

State and district leaders need better information about who their teachers are, where they teach, and how they are performing in the classroom. When empowered with this data, leaders can make more informed policy decisions to ensure that all students have access to diverse, learner-ready teachers.

Using data to better understand the teacher experience and improve teacher retention.

Policymakers can use a variety of data to better understand the experiences, challenges, and motivations of the teachers in their state. With a deeper understanding of the complex issues facing educators, state leaders can better support their educator workforce and improve local leaders’ ability to recruit and retain diverse, high-quality teachers.

Here are resources that provide great examples of how different data and data methods can provide a fuller picture of the teacher experience: